Charleville is the largest town in South West Queensland and has a population of approximately 3300 people. It is a rich pastoral area and was first explored by Edmund Kennedy in 1847. Charleville was named by Surveyor W. Tully for his hometown in Ireland. Cobb and Co established their largest and longest running coach making factory in Charleville in 1886 and the railway line was connected from Brisbane in 1888. Charleville was one of the first airports used by Qantas to fly paying passengers to Longreach in 1922. It is also home to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Charleville School of the Air.